Machine or engine for the



(No Model.)

G. C." GILLESPIE. IIAGEINE -OR'ENGINE EOE IEE APPLICATION 0E EXPLOSIVE ENEEGI Y To ME'GEANIGAI. POWER.

Patented Jan. 29, 1'889 W/T/VESSE'S.-

UNITED STATES PATENT rricE.

GEORGE CURTIS GIIJLESPIE, OF BROOKLYN, NEWT YORK.

MACHINE OR ENGINE FOR THE APPLICATION OI' EXPEOSIVE ENERGY I0 MECHANICAL POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,739, dated January 291, 1889.

Application led October 21, 1887. Serial No. 252,957. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern/.- l

Be it known that I, GEORGE CURTIS GIL- LESPIE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Machine or Engine for the Application of Explosive Energy to Mechanical Power, of which the following is a specification.

The' primary object to be attained in the construction of any machine operated by the sudden genera-tion of high-pressure gas-as, for example, when gun-cotton is exploded-is to provide a means of controlling the power at the outset, and thus preserveY the apparatus from any destructive shock. This object I accomplish by the use of a cylinder and plunger, both of which are movable, instead of one being fixed, as in the case of ordinary steam or gas engines.

Another important point to be provided for is the prevention of overheating, and this I accomplish by the use of single-action cylinders, which are drawn completely away from the plungers at each outward stroke, thereby g enabling the gaseous products of the explosion to escape freely, and thus exert a cooling effect by their expansion.

The general construction of my machine will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of whichn Figure l is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view, of a form of my machine or engine suitable for light work, such as, for example, the propulsion of a tricycle.

Similar letters indicate similar parts in both figures. y

A is the working-shaft, connected by the shoulders or cross-heads B B to the plungers C O. These plungers work in the explosioncylinders D D, the bores of which are gradually enlarged toward the open ends, so that the exhaustgas may commence to escape before the plungers are entirelyT withdrawn. The solid ends of the explosion-cylinders are extended and shouldered, so as to rest against Spiral springs E E, which are contained in outer cylinders, F F, 'fixed to the frame-work or bed-plate of the engine. These outer cylinders are provided with chargingtubes G G, in which supplies of explosive material (preferably in the form of spherical masses) are placed, (the charging-tubes communicate with the interiors of the outer cylinders and can thus fall into the bases of the explosioncylinders, as hereinafter described.

The solid extensions of the explosionecylin ders are, furthermore, provided with two slot-s, H H and I I, into which triggers K K can fall for the purpose of holding the explosion-cylinders fast at certain points of action, and these triggers are released by the cams L L, attached to the working-shaft.

Lip-pieces M E are attached to explosioneylinders and work through slots in the outer cylinders and in the charging-tubes in such a way as at each inward stroke to cut off and feed downward any desired quantity of the eX- plosive material.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The outward stroke of one plunger causes the other plunger to move inward and press against the bottom of its eXplosion-cylinder, which is thus forced back until the aperture communicating with the bottom of its base is underneath the cliarging-tube,when it receives a charge of explosive material. At the same moment the trigger engages in the slot I, and thus prevents the return of the explosion-cylinder. The plunger, however, being attached to the working-shaft, commences a return-stroke, and when the trigger is released by the cam on the working-shaft it is overtaken by the base or bottom of the explosioncylinder shot forward by the spiral spring in the rea-r. The charge of explosive material is fired by such percussion and generates a volunie of gas, which impels the plunger onward and the explosion-cylinder backward to the limit of the slot II, in which the trigger has now become engaged. The plunger continues moving until its end has escaped altogether from the explosion-cylinder, when the gases make their escape, and so free the explosion-cylinder for the return-stroke of the plunger.

It will be understood that whenever desirable, by reason of space, or otherwise, the two cylinders may be placed side by side or end to end, and may have their plungers connected directly with the apparatus to be driven, instead of with an intermediate working-shaft,

IOO

as shown in the drawings; also, iii' desired, the engine may consist of but one explosioncylinder and its accessories, in. which case the entire return-stroke would be performed under the inflnenceot' a `iyavheel or other analogous contrivance.

Having now described my said machine or engine for the application of explosive energy to mechanical power, what I claim as my invention, and desire toseeure by United States Letters Patent, is-

l. In a machine or engine 'for the application of explosive energy to mechanical power, the combination of a movable explosioncylinder acting against an abutment-spring and working in an outereylinder provided with a trigger for holding the working-eylinder at any desired point or points ofthe stroke, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a machine or engine for the application of explosive energy to mechanical power, the combination of an explosion-cylinder un.- attached to the working-rcd of the engine and working' in an outer cylinder provided with a charging-tube for the introduction of explosi ve material, substantially described.

3. In a machine or engine lior the applica tion of explosive energy to mechanical power, the combination of an explosion cylinder workin g in an outer cylinder provided with a charging-tube, as aforesaid, such workingeylinder carrying an imperforated proj ecting lip or blade traveling through slots in the outer cylinder and charging-tube for the purpose of cutting oft' and feeding inward a charge of explosive material at each inward stroke of the working-cylinder, substantially as described.

al.. The combination of the working-shaft A, cross-heads B, plungers C, reacting explosioncylinders D, spiral springs E, outer cylinders, F, charging-tubes G, slots Il and I, With charging mechanism M, and firing mechanism K and L, substantially as and for the purposes described.

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 15th day of October, A. D. '1887. p

GEORGE CURTIS GILLESPIE.

\Vitnesses:

STEPHEN Il. EMMEN, FRANK L. BROOKS, 

